Turkey has called on the US to return to a neutral stance on Cyprus, and to efforts for the settlement of the Cyprus conundrum after Nicosia and Washington signed earlier this month a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a deeper security cooperation.

“The memorandum of understanding will not serve peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean and will damage the solution of the Cyprus problem,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Sunday.

“We urge the US to return to its impartial policy that it has traditionally maintained in the Island of Cyprus and to contribute to the efforts towards the settlement of the Cyprus issue,” the statement adds.

Earlier this month, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the US had decided to partially lift a 33-year arms embargo against Cyprus. The embargo will be lifted for one year, with the possibility of renewal, and will apply to non-lethal systems.

The move has faced acute criticism by Ankara, which supported that the lifting of the arms embargo and the provision of military training program (IMET) to the Greek Cypriot side, “disrupts the balance between the two peoples on the Island and increases the tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.”

It also supported that the recent developments “totally excluded” the Turkish Cypriots “who have equal rights with the Greek Cypriots on the Island,” and could further harden the Greek Cypriot “intransigence,” as well discourage a “reconciliatory position” by the Greek Cypriot side on the solution of any problem.

However, Matthew Palmer of the US State Department said earlier in September that the move does not reflect a change in US policy on the Cyprus problem, citing that “We continue to support a comprehensive settlement that will reunite the island into a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation which will benefit all Cypriots as well as the wider region.”

Source: neweurope.eu